LITTLE    MARY, 

AN  ILLUSTRATION 

OS' 

THE   POWER  OF   JESUS 

TO 

SAVE  EVEN  THE  YOUNGEST, 
^titlj  ait  Inirobudmtr 

BY    BARON    STOW,    D.D. 


B  O  STON: 
GOULD    AND    LINCOLN, 

59    WASHINGTON    STREET. 

18G1. 

c5gN3 


\f^ 


t 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by 
GOULD    AND    LINCOLN, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massacliusetts. 


k 


Electrotypcd  and  Printed  by 

W.  F.  DRAPER,  AXDOTER,  MASSACHUSETTS. 


-e^^ 


^.9 e^ 


^ntxa)iutixan. 


Jjecc 


Near  the  close  of  last  autumn,  the  newspapers 
contained  the  following  brief  notice : 

Died,    at    Concord,   N.  H.,  November    6,    of 
organic   disease   of   the  heart,   Mary    Achsah, 

YOUNGEST   DAUGHTER   OF   JoSEPH  A.  AND  AnN 

W.  GiLMORE,  aged  thirteen. 

In  thousands  of  cases,  every  one  interesting  to 
the  small  circle  of  the  bereaved,  such  a  record  is 
the  last  that  meets  the  pubhc  eye  ;  except,  it  may 
( )    be,  a  few  commemorative  words  cut  in  the  head-    ( ) 

^ e^ 


2052966 


r- 


-e^s^ 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

Stone  that  marks  the  resting-place  of  the  youthful 
sleeper. 

The  loved  and  loving  one,  whose  early  departure 
from  this  earth-life  was  thus  summarily  chronicled, 
may  never  have  imagined  that  she  was  distin- 
guished, either  by  nature  or  by  grace,  for  anything 
worthy  of  a  special  memorial,  or  deemed  that  any 
of  her  utterances  or  acts  would  be  collected  and 
embalmed  for  fadeless  preservation.  But  those 
who  knew  her  well,  and  especially  some  who  were 
often  near  her  during  her  last  months  of  bodily 
sulTcring  and  spiritual  triumph,  expressed  a  strong 
conviction  that  a  faithful  narrative  of  her  religious 
experience  might  be  useful  as  an  illustration  of  the 
power  of  Christ  to  save  the  young.  The  family 
group  had  all  the  incidents,  and  many  more 
than  could  be  transferred  to  paper,  deeply  en- 
graven in  their  heart  of  hearts,  and  needed  not, 
for  their  own  sakes,  another  record ;  but  a  larfre 

d^^ e/^ 


9{^/3 e^^ 

)  INTRODUCTION.  V 

circle  of  relatives  and  friends  were  anxious  to 
possess  a  fuller  account  than  could  be  gathered 
from  oral  communications.  These  demands  it  was 
thought  best  to  supply ;  and  the  work,  confessedly 
one  of  much  dehcacy,  was  intrusted  to  the  indi- 
vidual who  could  do  it  the  greatest  justice, — 
Mary's  eldest  brother,  a  member  of  the  Senior 
Class  in  the  Newton  Theological  Institution.  To 
him  it  would  be  —  to  him  it  has  been  —  a  "  labor 
of  love'* 

I  have  read  in  manuscript  the  entire  narrative, 
and  regard  it  as  prepared  with  commendable 
judiciousness  and  fidelity.  I  discover  nothing  over- 
drawn, nothing  colored  for  the  sake  of  effect.  My 
acquaintance  with  the  amiable  Mary  was  familiar 
from  her  infancy,  and  she  had  the  place  of  a  good 
child  in  my  affection.  During  the  earlier  stages  of 
her  illness,  while  she  was  at  the  Franconia  Moun- 
tains, I  frequently  saw  her,  and  was  tenderly  inter- 

5^^ e^ 


I 


-^^-B^ 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 


I 


estcd  in  her  religious  exercises.  Her  little  heart 
impatiently  beating  against  its  walls  Avas  a  fit  em- 
l)lL'm  of  her  emotional  nature  struggling  to  throw 
off  a  burden  of  whose  character  she  had  an  indef- 
inite conception,  but  of  which  she  was  painfully 
conscious.  I  saw  her  also  when  hope  of  her  recov- 
ery had  well-nigh  vanished,  and  heard  from  her 
thin,  bloodless  lips  the  breathings  of  a  soul  "wil- 
ling rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body  and  present 
with  the  Lord."  She  was  all  that  the  hand  of 
fraternal  love  has  described,  and  the  readers  of 
this  touching  story  may  accept  the  whole  as  a  just 
picture  of  the  dear  one  — 

"  Not  lost,  but  gone  before." 

The  author  says,  in  a  statement  now  before  me, 
*'  I  have  tried  to  adapt  it  to  the  capacity  of  chil- 
Q    'l'*^'ib that  thus  both  parents  and  children 

S^^3 S^S^ 


"^^^^ ^ e^S^ 

INTRODUCTION.  VII 

might  read  and  understand  it ;  but  I  feel  that  the 
sudden  maturity  of  little  Mary's  Christian  expe- 
rience was  such  that  one  or  two  of  the  chapters 
must  be  incomprehensible  to  any  one  who  has  not 
'the  mind  of  the  Spirit,'"  And  he  declares  him- 
self willing  to  sacrifice  the  graces  of  mere  style 
"  to  the  one  object  of  presenting  a  truthful  sketch 
of  what  the  Lord  Jesus  did  for  a  child  of  thirteen 
summers."  The  reader  will  find  the  sketch  indeed 
truthful,  and  the  style  like  female  loveliness  — 

"  When  unadorned,  adorned  the  most.-' 

Soon  after  Mary's  decease,  her  pastor,  for  whom 
she  had  great  respect,  —  the  Kev.  Dr.  Flanders, 
—  preached  a  discourse,  in  which  he  gave  his  own 
impressions  respecting  her  case,  as  a  disciple  of 
Christ.  He  is  well  known  as  a  careful  observer 
(?)    of  all   the  forms  of  Christian   development,  and    m 

h^^ e^ 


. — e<^ 

VIII  INTRODUCTION. 


as  eminently  reliable  in  bis  discriminations  and 
judgments.  To  a  sympathizing  congregation  he 
said: 

"  'flic  scenes  of  her  last  illness  and  her  depart- 
in"  hours  were  so  marked  with  peaceful  trust  in 
Christ,  that  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  give  you  a 
somewhat  full  account  of  them.  In  recounting 
the  \sLSt  hours  of  one's  experience  on  earth  it 
becomes  the  Christian  minister  to  guard  against  a 
more  hopeful  presentation  than  the  facts  warrant, 
lest,  in  his  desire  to  soothe  the  wounded  sensibilities 
of  the  bereaved,  he  may  inflict  lasting  injury  on 
others.  It  would  be  better  to  withhold  all  refer- 
ence to  the  hopeful  dead,  than  that  by  any  over- 
wrought statement  harm  should  be  done  to  the 
souls  of  the  Uving.  But  the  case  before  us  needs 
no  coloring.  The  scene  as  it  icas  is  sufficiently 
beautiful  and  impressive.  I  am  grateful  to  God 
(h    tliat  in  my  ministry,  among  mv  dear  people,!  have    (T) 

^^^~ ' e4 


ft€^- 


I 


INTRODUCTION, 


been  permitted  to  witness  such  a  scene  in  the  last 
illness  of  one  so  young,  and  have  the  opportunity 
to  describe  it." 

On  the  9th  of  November,  at  mid-day,  we  stood 
amid  the  quiet  shades  of  Mount  Auburn,  and  wor- 
shipped Him  who  is  "  the  Resurrection  and  the 
Life."  There  was  the  casket  enclosing  all  that  was 
mortal  of  little  Mary. 

"  Like  blossomed  tree  o'erturned  by  vernal  storm, 
Lovely  in  death  the  beauteous  ruin  lay." 

There  was  the  opened  grave  ready  to  receive 
this  new  treasure  to  its  trust.  The  ground  was 
carpeted  with  fallen  foliage  imbrowned  by  au- 
tumnal frosts.  The  sun  shone  genially  through  the 
leafless  trees.  It  was  an  hour  of  solemn,  impres- 
()    sive  beauty.     The  precious  words  of  Divine  Reve- 

aW- e^ 


I 


^^s^- 


T- 


INTRODUCTION, 


lation  were  read ;  fervent  prayer  was  offered ;  we 
looki'd  once  more  on  the  face  of  the  sleeper,  and 
then  turned  slowly  away,  happy  in  the  thought 
that  wc  were  not  leaving  Mary  there ;  she  was 
in  heaven. 


BARON  STOW. 


RosTON,  Marcli,  18G1. 


-^ 


d^^- 


r 


CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION. 


Chapter    Jfirst 


THE    CHILDHOOD    OF    LITTLE    MARY  —  HER    SENSE    OF 
SIN  —  LETTERS, 13 


C^Hpttr    ^tt0nir, 


HEALTH  BUT  NOT  HOPE  —  THE  YOUNG  INQUIRER  AND 
THE  AGED  SAINT  —  A  SUMMER  AMONG  THE  MOUN- 
TAINS, .  . 26 

Chapter    ^Ijtrb-. 

HOPES     AND      FEARS  —  SONGS    IN     THE    NIGHT  —  THE 

BRUISED  REED   AND  THE  SMOKING   FLAX,    .  .  .     38      () 

(5gN3 e^ 


r- 


CONTENTS. 


Cljupttr    <fo«rt^. 


PAGE 
VICTOPwY  — A  HAPPY  SABBATH  — WATCHIXG  FOR  SOULS,  51 


Cbnptrr    ^iftlj 


WAITING   FOR   DELIVEUANCE,      . 


.     65 


ALMOST  HOME  — ASLEEP  I^^  JESUS  — MOU^'T  AUBURN,     80 
JEPCS  THE   LITTLE  CHILDREN'S   SAVIOUR,        .  .  .96 


e.-^ 


I 


^^^^ ^^ 


\i 


LITTLE  MART 


ni^itx   Jftrst* 


THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  LITTLE  MARY  — HER  SENSE  OF  SIN- 
LETTERS. 


There  is  a  portrait  of  little  Mary  lying 
before  me  as  I  write,  which  recalls  her 
to  my  memory  more  vividly  than  any 
other  of  the  keepsakes  which  her  friends 
have  preserved.  It  was  taken  when  slie 
was  but  five  years  old,  but  it  represents 
her  as  I  shall  always  remember  her ;  for 
she  preserved  much  of  that  innocence 
Q    and  artlcssness  which  we  love  in  infants   (t, 

^:^^ ^-^^^ 


9^ 

^14  LITTLE     MART. 


2 


to  tlic  very  close  of  licr  brief  life,  and 
the  b^uii  has  stamped  that  look  of  inno- 
cence upon  tlie  burnished  plate,  as  if  he 
loved  to  help  us  remember  it.  Could 
you  glance  at  the  picture,  you  would  see 
a  little,  chubby  girl,  ^rith  blue  eyes  and 
•waving  l)rown  hair,  with  dimpled  hands 
clasped  carelessly  in  her  lap,  seated  in  an 
old-fasliioiied  carved  chair.  You  would 
be  dehglited  at  her  beauty.  Perhaps 
you  would  ask,  as  many  have  done,  "  Is 
it  a  real  picture  ?  was  there  ever  so  gen- 
tle and  lovable  a  little  girl  ?  "  And  we 
might  answer,  "  Yes,  the  likeness  is  per- 
fect. Our  little  Mary  was  as  gentle  and 
lovable  as  this." 

As  she  grew  older  she  was  still  beau- 
tifnl  ;    slie    manifested   the   same   gentle 
M  and  loving  spirit.     I  do  not   think   she    n 


te^- 


s 


LITTLE      MAR  Y. 


-e^^^ 


15 


was  a  perfect  child,  for  I  doubt  if  there 
are  any  perfect  children.  It  is  Jesus 
only,  you  know,  who  from  infancy  "  in- 
creased in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in 
favor  with  God  and  man."  Mary  was 
often  ill,  and  then  she  was  sometimes 
irritable  and  exacting.  I  am  afraid,  too, 
that  when  she  saw  her  tall,  graceful  form 
and  her  delicate  features  in  the  glass,  or 
overheard  the  foolish  praises  of  stran- 
gers, she  sometimes  felt  that  she  was 
beautiful.  I  don't  think  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth ever  did  that,  though  I  doubt  not  he 
was  more  beautiful  than  any  little  boy 
you  have  ever  seen  ;  but  it  is  a  very 
common  fault  in  little  children  now,  and 
most  persons  would  think  it  quite  par- 
donable. And  it  is  pardonable  ;  but  only 
God  can  pardon  irritability  and  pride. 


^^^- 


-^S'Q^ 


i 


i 


IG 


LITTLE      MARY. 


I  have  told  you  of  these  little  faults, 
hccause  I  want  to  tell  the  truth,  even 
ahout  those  whom  I  love  very  dearly. 
Now,  I  must  tell  you  of  Mary's  virtues, 
that  you  may  learn  to  love  her  as  I  do. 
You  could  not  have  helped  loving  her 
liad  you  known  her,  for  everybody  loved 
Mary.  She  was  herself  so  gentle  and 
loving,  that  slie  won  the  hearts  of  all 
who  knew  her.  We  used  to  call  her 
"  the  light  of.  the  household ; "  but  even 
licr  dearest  friends  did  not  realize  how 
like  a  sunbeam  she  was,  till  now,  when 
the  clouds  have  snatched  her  from  their 
siglit.  Yet  I  can  never  forget  the  ten- 
derness and  grace  with  which  she  used 
to  cling  to  her  father  when  he  seated 
himself,  wearied  with  thought,  in  his 
hi«r   arm-chair;   nor   how   truthful    and 


h^^ 


-o^ 


s^ 


w^ ®^ 

/  LITTLE      MARY.  17     \ 

obedient  she  was  ;  nor  that  a  single  word 
was  enough  for  her  correction  when  she 
had  done  wrong.  But  Mary  seldom  did 
wrong.  The  prayers  which  she  learned 
when  a  baby  at  her  mother's  knee  she 
used  to  repeat  every  night ;  and  the  Sab- 
bath was  a  holy  day  to  her.  Thus  she 
honored  God,  and  perhaps  God  honored 
her  in  helping  her  to  live  so  gentle  and 
loving  a  life  ;  for  he  has  said,  "  Them 
that  honor  me  I  will  honor;"  and  God 
always  keeps  his  word.  I  remember 
now  how  we  used  to  smile  at  the  child- 
ish earnestness  which  little  Mary  used 
sometimes  to  manifest  to  be  a  Christian. 
Perhaps  we  did  wrong  to  smile,  and  she 
knew  better  than  we  did  what  God 
wanted  of  her ;  indeed,  parents  often 
err  in  thinkino:  that  their  children  are 


(5gN3 &^ 


^^18  L  ITTL  E      M  ART. 


'i 


too  joung  to  love  the  blessed  Jesus. 
Mary  dreaded  death,  as  most  children 
do,  and  she  wanted  Jesus  to  take  that 
feeling  of  dread  away.  I  am  writmg 
this  little  book  to  tell  you  how  Jesus  did 
this  for  her,  and  how  he  will  do  it  for  - 
you,  if  you  really  want  him  to. 

Perhaps  you  think,  "  I  don't  want 
him  to,  now.  I  don't  think  these  terri- 
bly good  children  are  very  happy."  But 
you  will  want  him  to  by  and  by,  and 
perhaps  when  you  are  ready  Jesus  won't 
be.  You  know  the  Bible  says,  "  Re- 
member now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of 
thy  youth,  while  the  evil  days  come  not, 
nor  the  years  draw  nigh  when  thou  shalt 
say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  them."  Be- 
sides, good  children  are  the  happiest 
cliildren  in  the  world.     Little  Mary  was 


'^^^ 


^^^e : e^ 


f 


LITTLE      MARY.  19 

always  a  good  child,  and  she  was  always 
merry  and  joyful,  as  good  folks  ought  to 
be.  After  she  had  learned  to  love  Jesus, 
she  was  the  happiest  little  girl  I  ever 
saw,  though  she  was  in  great  pain,  and 
expecting  every  day  to  die.  She  felt 
that  she  should  be  happy  forever  in 
heaven,  which  is  far  better  than  all  the 
happiness  that  earth  can  give. 

Mary  was  so  gentle,  and  truthful,  and 
good,  that  I  should  hardly  have  felt  like 
telling  her  that  she  was  a  sinner,  though 
I  knew  that  even  little  children  "  are 
by  nature  children  of  wrath ; "  that  is, 
they  are  sinners,  and  must  be  punished 
for  their  sins,  unless  they  are  pardoned 
by  Jesus.  I  should  hardly  have  felt  like 
reminding  our  good  little  Mary  of  this, 
though  I  knew  it  to  be  true,  even  of  her ; 

^Eg^ — — &^ 


^m^>- ^ 

CJ    20  LITTLE      MART.  V 

but  tlicrc  was  no  need  of  my  doing  this. 
One  Sunday  night,  — it  was  March  11, 
18G0, —  Mary's  mother  called  me  into 
her  room.  The  little  girl  had  been  ill 
for  many  days  then,  but  was  better,  and 
we  had  no  idea  that  she  would  not  soon 
be  well  and  strong.  I  found  her  in  tears; 
and,  taking  her  in  my  lap,  I  asked  her 
what  ailed  her.  She  told  me  that  she 
wanted  to  be  a  Christian.  0  !  how  glad  I 
was  to  hear  her  say  that,  and  how  bitterly 
I  felt  tliat  I  had  more  cause  to  weep  for 
my  sins  than  she  for  hers  !  I  pointed  her 
to  "  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world."  I  told  her  how 
able  and  how  willing  Jesus  was  to  save 
her  ;  how  he  longed  to  have  her  become 
a  Christian.  At  her  request,  I  read  and 
prayed  with  her  ;  but  nothing  seemed  to 

y^^ e/^ 


i 


^ e^Sff 

/  LITTLE      MARY.  21 

give  her  comfort.  Still  the  tears  rolled 
down  her  cheeks,  and  her  whole  frame 
trembled,  as  she  exclaimed :  "  0 !  it 
seems  as  if  I  was  such  a  sinner  that  God 
couldn't  pardon  me  !  "  How  it  startled 
me  to  think  that  the  finger  of  God  was 
writing  such  truths  as  that  on  the  heart 
of  a  child  who  was  so  good  and  gentle  ; 
but  I  felt  that  it  was  God's  work,  and  I 
dared  only  say  to  her  that  Jesus  could 
save  the  vilest  sinners :  that  he  died  on 
purpose  to  do  this. 

After  Mary's  death,  I  found  a  letter 
from  one  of  her  playmates  among  her 
papers,  which  may,  perhaps,  have  been 
the  first  thing  which  made  her  feel  as  if 
she  wanted  to  be  a  Christian.  I  want  to 
thank  the  little  girl  who  wrote  it,  and  I 
mean  to  quote  a  part  of  her  letter,  that 


-e^ 


Y^^ ^^ 


LITTLE      :M  A  K  Y  . 


$" 

you  may  sec  how  faithful  a  friend  little 
Mary  hud.  "  I  believe  that  Eddie  C.  is 
to  be  baptized  next  Sunday.  He  is  quite 
young,  but  it  is  very  pleasant  to  think  of 
his  being  a  Christian  in  his  youthful 
days.  I  trust  that  he  may  enjoy  many 
happy  years  in  trying  to  follo^Y  in  his 
Saviour's  footsteps  ;  and  it  has  been  my 
prayer,  dear  Mary,  that  some  time  I 
might  sec  you  brought  to  the  Saviour, 
])leading  for  your  sins  that  they  might  be 
forgiven.  AVill  you  not,  my  dear  Mary, 
pray  that  your  sins  may  be  forgiven,  and 
come  to  Christ,  and  try  to  live  a  letter  life 
than  I  dor' 

On  the  day  after  my  conversation  with 
^lary,  I  returned  to  my  studies  ;  but  the 
next  day  I   sent  her,  at  her  request,  a 
0   nice    large    Bible,   with   a   letter,    from 


e^5 

LITTLE      MARY.  23 


wliich  I  shall  insert  a  few  sentences, 
because  they  were  as  true  of  any  other 
little  boy  or  girl  as  they  were  of  little 
Mary.  "  I  believe,  my  dear  sister,  that 
Jesus  loves  you,  and  wants  you  to  give 
your  heart  to  him.  I  know  that  you 
want  to  love  him,  and  want  to  feel  that 
he  is  your  Saviour.  Why  can't  you  come 
to  Jesus  in  prayer,  and  tell  him  that  you 
want  to  love  him,  and  mean  to,  but  you 
don't  know  how,  and  want  him  to  help 
you  ?  Give  yourself  up  to  him  ;  just  as 
the  little  boy,  of  whom  I  was  telling  you, 
jumped  into  his  father's  arms  when  his 
father  called  him  and  told  him  that  it 
was  safe  to  jump,  though  he  could  n't  see 
him.  But  one  thing,  my  dear  sister, 
Jesus  wonH  help  you  zmless  you  mean  to  he 
Ids  ivJien  you  are  ivell  as  well  as  ivlien  you 


^tr^^ ~" 

24  L  I  T  T  L  E      MAE  Y 


are  ill ;  and  you  must  give  yourself  up  to 
him  lieartily  and  tliorouglily.  0,  it  is 
so  blessed  to  feel  that  the  dear  Saviour 
loves  you  !  and  I  want  you  to  feel  this." 
Mary  received  another  letter  soon  after 
this,  which  says  such  precious  things 
about  Jesus,  that  I  want  a  part  of  it  to 
go  into  my  little  book,  though  I  know 
that  many  folks  think  letter-reading  dull 
business.  Here  it  is :  ''  Yes,  the  dear 
Jesus  died  for  little  Mary.  In  all  his 
agony  and  sutfering,  he  thought  of  that 
httle  girl  he  was  going  to  save  from 
death.  You  can,  darling,  if  you  will, 
take  all  the  precious  promises  in  the 
Bible  to  yourself.  Christ  meant  them 
for  you.  He  meant  to  be  your  Saviour, 
yotir  Comforter,  your  Shepherd.  He  sees 
^   little   Mary,    a    poor,  weak  little  lamb,  A 

&^' ■■ e^ 


w^ ^^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  25 


'<i 


that  needs  the  tenderest  care,  and  he 
wants  to  take  her  up  and  carry  her  in 
his  own  bosom,  where  she  shall  be  safe 
from  all  harm  ;  where  the  rude  winds 
will  not  blow  upon  her,  and  where  she 
shall  gain  strength  to  live  in  this  world ; 
and  then,  by  and  by,  he  will  lead  her 
beside  the  still  waters  and  into  green 
pastures  in  heaven.  Won't  Mary  let 
the  dear  Jesus  do  all  this  for  her  ?  He 
is  longing  now  for  this  dear  little  girl  to 
let  him  take  her  to  be  his  own  loved 
child.  She  need  n't  wait  a  minute. 
Jesus'  arms  are  open  wide  to  receive  his 
lost  darling,  though  she  has  often  slighted 
him  and  grieved  him ;  all  that  Mary 
has  to  do  is  to  throw  herself  into  them. 
Can't  she  do  this?" 

1.       ^^^ 

^^N3 e^ 


e>^2rO 


Cljapfcr    Scconb-. 


HEAI.TU   BCT  NOT  HOPE  — THE  YOUNG   INQUIRER  AND  THE 
AGED   SAINT  — A  SUMMER  AMONG   THE   MOUNTAINS, 


Many  weeks  passed  after  my  first  in- 
terview with  little  Mary  before  I  had 
much  more  serious  conversation  with 
lier.  Much  of  the  time  I  was  away 
from  home,  and  when  I  met  the  little 
sufferer  I  contented  myself  with  drop- 
ping now  and  then  a  word  which  should 
assure  her  that  I  could  not  be  satisfied 
till  I  felt  that  she  was  a  Christian.  I 
knew  ihat  Mary  had  better  and  wiser 
n   counsellors  than  I.     There  was  one  in 

C^^>^— e^ 


o-O 


~o.S^ 

LITTLE      MART.  27 


particular  to  whom  Mary  seemed  to 
cling  with  especial  tenderness,  and  who 
I  was  sure  would  labor  and  pray  without 
ceasing  to  bring  this  little  lamb  to  the 
great  Shepherd  of  Israel.  I  felt  that 
Mary's  Aunty  O'Brien  —  for  so  she  loved 
to  call  her,  though  she  was  no  more 
Mary's  aunt  than  she  is  the  aunt  of 
every  child  who  is  seeking  Jesus — could 
do  more  for  the  little  girl  than  I.  I 
loved  to  know  that  little  Mary,  whenever 
she  was  able  to  go  out  for  a  drive,  would 
send  her  carriage  for  her  good  aunty ; 
and  0,  it  was  a  precious  sight  to  see 
the  pale  and  anxious  face  of  the  little 
girl  nestling  down  among  the  furs  beside 
her  old  and  gentle  and  heavenly-minded 
friend,  and  think  that  they  were  talking 
of  the  blessed  Jesus.     I  knew  they  were   (|) 


C>^o 


g^-3 -^-^ 


( 


ftg^e 

28  LITTLE      MARY, 


talking  of  Jesus,  because  Aunty  O'Brien 
talks  so  sweetly  and  so  winningly  of 
Jesus  to  every  one  whom  she  meets ; 
because  she  had  often  talked  to  me  about 
Jesus,  and  led  me,  I  hope,  to  love  him 
and  try  to  serve  him.  I  saw  that  little 
Mary  had  not  lost  her  interest  in  such 
conversation  as  this.  I  felt  that  the 
blessed  Spirit  was  still  striving  to  win 
her  to  Christ,  and  I  could  not  help  feel- 
ing that  she  would  he  a  Christian. 

All  this  time  Mary  was  slowly  getting 
better.  The  frosts  of  winter  were  gone  ; 
the  fields  were  fresh  and  green,  the  birds 
sang  sweetly  in  the  maples  under  Mary's 
window,  and  all  nature  seemed  to  be 
praising  the  good  God  who  has  made  this 
beautiful  world  for  man  to  live  in.  As 
the  warm  days  of   summer   drew  near, 

g^^o- e/^ 


te^3 -^"-^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  29 

the  roses  bloomed  on  Mary's  cheeks 
brighter  than  ever,  and  we  hoped  she 
was  past  all  danger.  Still,  we  knew  she 
was  delicate  and  frail,  and  her  father 
made  his  plans  to  shut  up  his  house  in 
the  hot  and  dusty  city,  and  have  his 
family  spend  the  whole  summer  among 
the  mountains  of  Mary's  native  state. 
We  were  all  of  us  glad  to  go,  for  we 
loved  the  mountains,  and  you  would  love 
them  too,  if  you  knew  them  well.  Just 
think  of  living  all  summer  in  a  little 
green  valley,  not  more  than  an  eighth  of 
a  mile  wide,  hemmed  in  on  every  side 
by  lofty  mountains  covered  to  the  very 
top  with  waving  trees,  —  as  if  Boston 
Common  were  surrounded  by  hills  ten 
times  as  high  as  the  steeple  of  Park- 
street   Church,   and   you   were   to   have    m 


te^e ^ e^ 


30  LITTLE      MARY. 

your  home  on  the  little  knoll  by  the 
Frog  Pond  !  And  think  of  the  beautiful 
lakes  and  laughing  waterfalls  ;  the  grand 
Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,  which  God 
carved  out  of  the  soHd  rock,  thousands 
of  feet  up  on  the  mountain  side,  so  that 
it  looks  just  like  a  man's  face  !  Think 
of  the  rattling  stage-coaches,  filled  with 
happy  travellers ;  the  Indian  encamp- 
ments, the  pleasant  walks,  and  drives, 
and  sails,  and  you  will  not  wonder  that 
we  were  glad  to  go  to  our  mountain 
home. 

But  there  were  two  things  for  which  I 
most  wanted  to  go  to  the  mountains.  I 
hoped  that  the  fine,  clear,  bracing  air 
would  restore  little  Mary  to  perfect 
health  ;  and  I  remembered  that  God  had 
said,  "The  mountains  shall  bring  peace   () 

^J^ 

e^^cQ 


Ctg^e e^^O 


2 


LITTLE      MARY.  31 


to  the  people,"  and  I  longed  to  have 
them  bring  peace  to  Mary's  troubled 
heart.  In  both  my  wishes  I  was  disap- 
pointed. At  first  the  change  of  air  and 
scene  seemed  to  give  her  new  life,  and 
little  Mary  never  looked  so  beautiful  as 
in  that  last  summer  among  "  the  Crystal 
Hills."  But  we  soon  learned  that  the 
glow  which  suffused  her  cheeks  was  not 
the  bloom  of  health.  The  bustle  and 
tumult  of  a  crowded  hotel  seemed  to 
weary  her,  and  she  gradually  lost  the 
little  strength  which  she  had  gained. 
^Ve  were  more  anxious  than  ever  for  our 
darling.  And  I  was  more  anxious  about 
her  immortal  soul  than  her  frail  body, 
dearly  as  I  loved  her,  and  eagerly  as  I 
prayed  that  she  might  be  ''  the  light 
(+)    of  our  home "  for   many  years.     Little    (t) 

Ji^ e^ 


cg^3_ ^ 

!  LITTLE      MART. 


Mary  had  never  felt  that  she  was  a 
Christian,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  she 
was  not  reading  her  Bible  so  regularly, 
or  praying  so  often,  or  seeking  Christ  so 
earnestly,  as  in  the  weeks  that  were  past. 
Perhaps  she  was  discouraged  by  not  find- 
ing Jesus  when  she  first  set  out  to  seek 
him,  and  did  not  know  that  the  blessed 
Saviour  sometimes  lets  folks  search  for 
him  a  great  while,  so  as  to  make  sure 
that  they  really  want  to  find  him,  and 
that  they  will  not  grow  weary  of  serving 
him  when  they  have  found  him.  Per- 
haps the  gayety  and  bustle  of  the  hotel 
distracted  her  childish  thoughts.  Per- 
haps she  could  not  quite  make  up  her 
mind  to  give  up  everything  for  Jesus ;  for  , 
he  wants  his  followers  to  give  up  many 
things  which  look  very  bright  and  pleas-   (\\ 

^^3 ^ ^ -O^ 


LITTLE      MARY.  33 

ant  to  a  little  girl  like  Mary,  though  he 
gives  them  many  more  and  better  gifts 
in  exchange.  I  think  tliis  last  was  the 
reason  why  little  Mary  did  not  find  Jesus 
sooner.  God  was  all  this  time  callino: 
her  to  himself.  She  heard  his  voice  ; 
but  many  weeks  of  pain  and  anguish 
must  pass  before  Mary  could  give  up  all 
to  Christ,  and  say,  like  little  Samuel, 
"  Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth." 
As  the  summer  passed  away,  little 
Mary  grew  more  and  more  feeble.  Her 
voice  was  heard  no  more  upon  the  piazza 
and  along  the  halls.  Her  sweet  smile 
no  longer  won  the  hearts  of  strangers  in 
the  crowded  parlor.  I  read  in  a  paper 
published  in  a  distant  city  these  kind 
and  loving  words,  and  wept  when  I 
thought  that  the  true-hearted  pastor  who 


te^ 


(^^3 eyq 

34  LITTLE      MARY. 


f 


wrote  tliein  was  speaking  of  little  Mary, 
and  despairing  of  her  life  : 

"  In  the  house  of  mirth  and  gladness 
there  is  a  chamber  of  sickness.  Opposite 
the  room  in  which  we  write  is  one,  well 
known  to  many  of  your  readers,  a  frail 
flower,  lovely  to  her  friends.  Around 
her  suffering  couch  hangs  a  watchful, 
sympathizing  mother,  and  friendly  hands 
are  extended  to  minister  to  her  relief. 
Patiently  she  bears  what  God  has  laid 
upon  her,  hoping  that,  in  his  kindness, 
he  will  bring  back  the  bloom  to  her 
faded  cheek,  and  health  to  her  wasted 
form.  Beautiful  lesson  taught  us,  who 
are  so  happy  and  joyous,  that  we  are  to 
have  all  our  earthly  joys  chastened  by 
the  thought  that  this  is  not  our  final  and 
perfect    rest.      Beyond    and    above    the 


-e'^^ 


ft^>3 e^^S^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  35 


everlasting  hills  there  is  a  Paradise,  into 
which  no  pain  enters,  and  upon  the  fair 
flowers  of  which  no  blight  ever  falls," 

Still  the  little  sufferer  failed,  and  at 
last  it  was  decided  that  the  only  hope 
of  her  recovery  lay  in  her  removal  to 
the  quiet  of  her  distant  home,  though 
many  feared  that  the  little  heart  which 
thumped  so  wildly  would  cease  its  beat- 
ing altogether  before  her  journey's  end. 
Strong  arms  and  tender  hearts  bore  the 
wasted  form  of  little  Mary  from  her 
bedside  to  the  carriage  which  waited  to 
convey  her  to  the  railroad,  twelve  miles 
away,  and  laid  her  gently  upon  the  rude 
couch  which  was  prepared  for  her.  0  ! 
it  was  a  touching  sight  to  see  her  borne 
away, : —  so  frail,  so  feeble  ;  and  eyes 
unused  to  weep  shed  genuine  tears  as 


II 


5tg^e -o^^ 


36  LITTLE      MARY. 


1 


the  carriage  drove  from  the  door  witli 
its  precious  freight. 

Little  Marj  reached  the  cars  in  safety, 
and  was  soon  whirled  along,  down  peace- 
ful valleys,  beneath  the  shadow  of  over- 
hanging mountains,  along  the  margin  of 
placid  lakes,  to  her  far-off  home.  0, 
what  a  contrast  there  was  between  the 
quiet  loveliness  of  the  untroubled  land- 
scape, glowing  beneath  the  fierce  rays  of 
the  August  sun,  and  the  gloom  and 
anxiety  which  reigned  within  that  silent 
carl  But  lovino'  and  skilful  friends  were 
watching  over  little  Mary,  and  the  great 
and  tender  God  watched  over  her  and 
stayed  her  up.  He  soothed  her  pain, 
and  helped  her  to  endure  fatigue,  for  he 
meant  to  spare  our  darling  till  he  had 
done  great  things  for  her  and  for   us. 

5^^ e^^ 


W^ "^^ 

J  LITTLE      MARY.  37    V 

Towards  nightfall  the  cars  shot  across 
the  clear  blue  waters  of  the  Merrimac, 
and  wound  swiftly  though  the  elm-shaded 
intervales  which  encircle  our  beautiful 
city,  and  Mary  was  home  again.  Her 
heart  beat  with  a  thrill  of  joy  as  she  was 
borne  to  the  quiet  chamber  where  she 
was  to  suffer  and  to  enjoy  so  much ;  for 
she  felt  that  she  was  coming  home  to  die, 
and  she  could  not  bear  to  die  among 
strangers. 


fe^ 


r 1 


u^in   d^irir^ 


CP^ 


HOPES  AK1>  TEARS  — SOIfGS  IN  THE  Ts^IGHT  — THE  BRUISED 
KEED  AND  THE  SilOKIUG  FLAX. 

We  had  hoped  that  little  Mary's 
removal  to  her  quiet  home  might  be  the 
means  of  her  recovery ;  but  the  change 
did  not  seem  to  do  her  much  good. 
She  was  certainly  happier,  and  more 
comfortable  in  her  own  dear  home  than 
she  could  be  anywhere  else.  Sometimes 
she  would  seem  to  be  really  better  for  a 
few  days,  and  as  she  sat  propped  up  in 
her  easy-chair,  with  a  basket  of  golden 
fruit   by  her   side,  and   a  book   in   her 

g^3 


^.'3 -OOl? 

/  LITTLE      MARY.  39 

hand,  as  the  old  sweet  smile  came  back 
to  her  worn  face,  we  felt  quite  hope- 
ful. Then  her  disease  would  assume 
a  new  form,  and  she  would  seem  so 
much  worse  that  we  would  give  up  all 
thoughts  of  her  recovery.  But  still  the 
doctors  told  us  that  Mary  might  be  well 
again,  and  we  clung  to  their  words  of 
encouragement  long  after  our  own  hearts 
told  us  that  she  must  die. 

All  this  while  little  Mary  was  suffering 
the  severest  pain.  Perhaps  you  have  not 
suffered  so  much  in  all  your  life  put 
together  as  she  suffered  every  day  for 
months.  Yet  she  was  very  gentle  and 
patient.  I  have  told  you  before  that  she 
used  sometimes  to  be  peevish  and  exact- 
ing when  she  was  sick.  She  seemed  so 
)    different    now,    that    I    could  n't    help 

d^^ e^^ 


? 


C^3 ^^ 

40  LITTLE      MARY.  V 

thinking,  sometimes,  that  God  might 
already  have  given  her  a  new  heart. 
But  I  never  said  so  to  her,  for  I  could 
not  be  sure  of  this  ;  and  I  felt  that  it 
would  do  her  more  harm  to  think  that 
she  was  a  Christian  when  she  was  not, 
than  to  be  a  Christian  for  a  little  while 
without  knowing  it.  By  and  by  I  had 
no  occasion  to  tell  her  tliat  I  hoped 
she  was  a  Christian,  and  every  one  who 
saw  her  patience  and  gentleness  under 
much  severer  pain  felt  that  she  was 
wonderfully  and  beautifully  changed. 
When  folks  are  really  Christians,  they 
will  soon  find  it  out,  and  others  will 
find  it  out  too,  without  any  one  to  tell 
them. 

There   was   one   thing  which    helped 
little  Mary  very  much  to  bear  her  pain 


-^^^ 


I 


te'O €^^ 


S 


t 


LITTLE      MARY.  41 

during  all  her  illness.  She  was  very 
fond^of  music  ;  and  sometimes,  when  she 
was  suffering  a  great  deal,  she  would 
want  her  kind  aunts,  who  took  care  of 
her,  to  sing  to  her  all  night  long. 
"  Sing  I  sing !  "  she  would  exclaim,  when 
a  sudden  pang  shot  through  her  heart ; 
and  as  they  bent  over  her,  and  asked  her 
what  they  should  sing,  she  would  often 
answer  : 

"  O,  sing  to  me  of  heaven, 
When  I  'm  about  to  die  !  " 


She  loved  best  to  have  hymns  sung  by 
her  bedside,  and  would  herself  pick  out 
such  hymns  as  were  not  only  set  to  the 
sweetest  melody,  but  full  of  the  deepest 
and  tenderest  thoughts  about  Jesus. 
One  night,  when  Mary's   mother,  over- 


42  LITTLE      MARY. 


come  by  fatigue,  had  fallen  asleep  by  her 
side,  she  asked  a  kind  Christian  woman 
who  was  watclnng  with  her  to  sing  her 
some  hymns.  The  good  woman  tried  to 
sing,  but  Mary's  sensitive  ear  was  not 
satisfied.  ''  I  '11  wind  up  the  music-box," 
said  Mrs.  L.,  —  for  Mary  had  a  fine  large 
music-box,  which  she  loved  to  hear,  and 
which  was  often  playing  when  her  watch- 
ers were  tired  of  singing.  "  Why,  no  !  " 
replied  Mary,  with  surprise,  "  it 's  Sun- 
day !  "  Dearly  as  she  loved  the  gentle 
melody  of  her  music-box,  she  would  not 
hear  it  even  for  a  moment  on  the  Sab- 
bath, and  she  did  not  think,  as  many 
little  girls  do,  that  Sunday  was  over 
when  folks  get  home  from  meeting  in 
the  afternoon.  So  she  tried  to  sino- 
A   herself.     At  first   her  Toice   Tvas   -n-eak 

fee ■ s^ 


9. 


! 


LITTLE      MARY.  43 

and  broken,  but  she  gathered  strength  as 
she  reached  the  verse  : 

"I  would  not  live  alway ;  no  —  welcome  the  tomb  : 
Since  Jesus  hath  lain  there,  I  dread  not  its  gloom ; 
There  sweet  be  my  rest  till  he  bid  me  arise 
To  hail  him  in  triumph  descending  the  skies." 

And  it  seemed  as  if  heavenly  voices 
blended  with  hers  in  divinest  harmony. 
She  sung  the  whole  hymn  through,  and 
then  turned  to  Mrs.  L.  and  said :  "  0, 
it  must  be  sweet  to  be  a  Christian !  " 
"  It  is  sweet,  darling,"  replied  her  faith- 
ful watcher.  "  0,  how  I  wish  I  was 
one  !  "  answered  little  Mary.  Then  she 
talked  with  Mrs.  L.  about  her  own 
unconverted  children,  and  urged  her  to 
pray  more  that  her  boys  might  be 
brought  to  Christ. 


^^^3 e^ 

44  LITTLE      MARY. 


Perhaps  you  think  that  little  Mary 
must  have  been  a  Christian  even  now. 
Sometimes  I  thought  so,  but  I  was  not 
quite  satisfied.  I  wanted  her  to  feel  that 
she  was  a  Christian.  I  used  often  to 
read  the  Bible  to  her,  and  pray  with  her, 
and  so  did  her  kind  pastor.  She  would 
very  frequently  ask  us  to  mark  a  passage 
which  pleased  her,  so  that  she  could  find 
it  herself.  She  always  listened  with 
respectful  attention  when  prayer  was 
offered,  or  anything  said  to  her ;  but 
she  herself  said  but  little ;  and  we 
could  not  talk  with  her  quite  as  we 
wished,  for  it  was  feared  that  if  she  was 
excited  at  all,  her  recovery  might  be 
hindered.  Besides,  some  of  her  friends 
seemed  to  think  that  little  Mary  had 
^   always  been  so  good  and  gentle  that  it   A 

E^ e4 


LITTLE      MART.  45 


would  be  well  with  her  if  she  were 
taken  away,  whether  she  was  a  Cliris- 
tiaii  or  not.  I  loved  to  think  of  her 
gentle  and  guileless  childhood  as  much 
as  any  one,  and  I  knew  that  God  was 
very  merciful  to  little  children  ;  but  I 
felt  that  the  only  way  to  heaven  was 
through  the  blood  of  Jesus.  I  remem- 
bered how  bitterly  little  Mary  had  felt 
that  she  needed  a  Saviour,  and  I  could 
not  help  thinking  that  if  she  was  old 
enough  to  feel  her  need  of  him,  she 
was  old  enough  to  believe  in  him,  and 
love  him.  Sometimes  I  was  afraid  that 
because  she  did  not  give  her  heart  right 
to  God  when  he  seemed  to  want  it  so 
much,  he  was  n't  going  to  take  it  at 
all.  I  felt  very  sad  and  very  anxious. 
I   did  n't    exjDect    great    things   from    a   (?) 

g"^3 e^ 


? 


46  L  I  T  T  L  E      M  A  R  T  . 

little  child  like  Mary ;  but  I  wanted  to 
see  her  clinging  to  the  blessed  Saviour 
with  the  same  childish  confidence  and 
love  which  she  felt  towards  her  dear 
father.  Then  I  should  know  that  she 
was  ready  to  die,  because  she  was  fit  to 
live. 

On  Sunday,  September  80,  I  spent  an 
hour  in  Mary's  room,  reading  and  pray- 
ing, and  talking  with  her.  I  told  her 
how  ready  the  dear  Saviour  was,  when 
he  was  on  earth,  to  heal  all  those  whom 
he  met.  I  read  to  her  the  account  of 
that  beautiful  scene  where  they  brought 
unto  Jesus,  as  the  sun  was  setting,  all 
that  were  diseased,  and  the  whole  city 
was  gathered  together  at  the  door,  and 
he  healed  many.  I  told  her  that  he  was 
just  as  near,  just  as  strong,  and  just  as 

g^^9 e/Q 


oqO 


-o^^ 


LITTLE      MARY.  47 

willing  to  save,  now^  as  when  he  was  on 
earth.  I  told  her  how  gentle  and  loving 
he  is,  and  then  said :  "  Dear  Mary,  can't 
you  love  and  trust  such  a  Saviour  as 
this  ? "  She  looked  steadily  in  my  face 
for  a  moment,  while  two  tears  stole 
down  her  cheeks,  —  the  only  tears  which 
I  saw  her  shed  during  her  long  illness, 
—  and  answered,  "  Why,  I  do  love  him, 
now."  I  felt,  from  the  emphasis  which 
the  little  girl  laid  on  the  word  love,  that 
she  had  an  idea  that  trusting  in  Jesus 
was  a  very  difficult  and  complicated 
matter.  So  I  tried  to  make  her  feel 
how  simple  a  thing  it  is  to  trust  in 
Jesus  ;  that  we  have  only  to  feel  that 
he  is  able  and  willing  to  save  iis,  and 
so  give  ourselves  up  to  him,  and  let  him 
do  just  what  he  pleases  with  us ;  that  we 


I 


;^3 &^sg 

48  LITTLE      MAE  Y. 

must  trust  in  the  blessed  Jesus,  just  as 
we  trust  in  our  kind  and  loving  parents, 
feeling  that  they  know  what  is  best  for 
us,  and  will  do  what  is  best,  whether  we 
understand  it  all  or  not. 

I  was  a  good  deal  encouraged  by  my 
talk  with  Mary.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
she  did  love  Jesus.  I  remembered  the 
words  of  the  prophet :  "  A  bruised  reed 
shall  he  not  break,  and  smoking  flax 
shall  he  not  quench;"  that  is,  Jesus 
will  accept  the  service  even  of  the  Aveak- 
cst  and  humblest  if  they  really  try  to 
serve  him.  I  thought,  surely  God  will 
-accept  even  thus  much  of  faith  and  love 
from  a  little  child,  so  weak  and  sick,  too. 
But  I  did  not  remember  all  of  God's 
glorious  promise.  It  is :  ''  A  bruised 
reed  shall  he  not  break,   and    smoking 

CF^^ e^ 


9 


^^"3 ~^^ 

LITTLE      MART.  49     V 

flax  shall  he  not  quench,  till  he  bring 
forth  judgme7it  unto  victory."  But  God 
remembered  it  all.  He  had  indeed  ac- 
cepted little  Mary,  but  he  was  preparing 
a  VICTORY  for  her  such  as  I  never  had 
dreamed  of,  and  would  never  have  dared 
to  ask.  I  never  knew  what  victory 
meant  till  I  had  seen  little  Mary  die ; 
and  then,  0,  how  grateful  I  was  that 
God  had  taught  me  this  lesson  over  the 
death-bed  of  my  own  sister  ! 

The  next  day  I  returned  to  my 
studies,  but  not  till  little  Mary  had 
charged  me  to  pray  for  her  while  I  was 
gone,  and  bade  me  summon  her  Aunty 
O'Brien  to  take  my  place  by  her  bed- 
side. Mary  had  many  loving  friends, 
who  were  always  ready  to  talk  with  her 
(h   about   Jesus,   and   she   loved   dearly  to   m 

<fe>3 e^ 


50  L  I  T  T  L  E      M  A  R  Y  .  ' 


have  them  all  with  her ;  but  there  were 
two  or  three  whom  she  seemed  espe- 
cially to  want,  now  that  she  was  seeking 
Christ. 


i 


B^-^ ^^ 


^p3 e^ 


ni^in    Jf0xtrlIj, 


VICTORY  —  A  HAPPY  SABBATH  —  WATCHING  FOR   SOULS. 

During  the  early  part  of  October  there 
seemed  to  be  no  marked  change  in 
Mary's  condition.  She  was  gradually 
failing,  and  I  think  she  felt  this  as 
keenly  as  her  friends,  though  she  did  not 
speak  of  it.  She  still  seemed  to  delight 
in  the  singing  of  her  favorite  hymns, 
and  often  asked  to  have  the  Bible  read 
and  prayer  offered  by  her  bedside.  If 
we  asked  what  we  should  pray  for,  her 
answer  almost  always  was,  "  That  I  may 
be  patient."     Poor  child  !  she  seemed  to 

o^^ e^ 


P. 


^r? ^ 

y     52  LITTLE      MARY.  V. 

dread  more  than  anything  else  that  her 
intense  pain  would  betray  her  into  impa- 
tience or  fretfulness ;  but  the  prayers  for 
patience  were  wonderfully  answered,  and 
never  did  I  see  a  sweeter  or  more  gentle 
sufferer.  But,  0 !  I  longed  to  hear  her 
talk  more  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  so  that  I 
might  know  how  he  seemed  to  her  in 
this  trying  hour.  And  God  meant  to 
satisfy  my  longings  to  the  full. 

On  Saturday  morning,  October  20,  she 
asked  her  Aunt  Maria  if  she  thought  she 
would  ever  get  well.  She  replied,  "  I 
don't  know,  Mary  ;  you  are  very  sick." 
She  then  said,  "  Tell  mother,  if  I  don't 
get  Avell,  to  give  Johnnie  my  Bible,  and 
have  some  one  write  in  it  that  hymn, 

'  See  Israel's  jrcntlc  Shepherd  stand, 
()  "With  all-engaging  charms.'  Q 

1^^ e^ 


L  I  T  T  L  E      M  AR  Y.  53     V 

Some  clays  after  she  repeated  tliis 
request,  adding,  ''  I  promised  Aunty 
O'Brien  once  that  I  would  learn  that 
hymn  ;  hut  I  never  did  it,  and  I  am 
heartily  ashamed  of  myself."  Later  in 
the  day,  she  said  to  her  mother:  ^'0 
dear !  I  am  afraid  I  shall  never  be  well 
again.  Do  you  think  I  shall,  mother?  " 
Her  mother  told  her  that  we  hoped  so, 
but  that  it  was  very  doubtful.  She  then 
asked  to  see  her  dear  pastor,  and  he  was 
summoned  to  her  side.  I  will  let  him 
describe  the  scene  which  followed,  in  his 
own  words  :  "  Leaning  over  her,  I  said, 
'  My  dear  child,  what  would  you  have 
me  do  ?  Raising  herself,  in  her  weak- 
ness, from  her  sick-bed,  she  threw  her 
arm  around  my  neck,  and,  in  the  most 
^   tender    and    earnest   tones,  said,  '  0,   I   q 


"^ ^ 

54  LITTLE     MARY.  V. 

want  to  be  good ! '  I  tried  to  meet  that 
desire,  so  touchinglj  expressed,  by  tell- 
ing her  of  the  nature  and  mission  of 
Jesus.  As  I  ceased  speaking,  she  said, 
'  I  ivill  trust  in  Jesus ! '  and  she  did,  and 
found  him  precious  to  her  soul." 

That  earnest  decision  was  the  turning- 
point  with  little  Mary.  She  had  long 
felt  that  she  loved  Jesus,  but  the  world 
seemed  bright  and  joyous  to  a  little  girl 
like  her,  and  she  had  not  been  quite 
willing  to  give  up  everything  for  him, 
and  let  him  do  with  her  just  what  he 
pleased.  Now  she  gave  up  all  to  Christ, 
and  he  gave  her  in  exchange  "  the  peace 
of  God  which  passeth  all  understand- 
ing." Is  it  not  a  good  exchange  for  a 
little  girl  to  make  ?  From  this  time  her 
perfect  resignation  and  trust  were  appar- 

o-g^s e^ 


9^.s ^^ 

J  LITTLE      MARY.  hh     \ 

ent  to  all.  She  said  to  her  mother, 
"  You  will  soon  learn  not  to  miss  me, 
mother."  Her  mother's  answer  was, 
^'  No,  Mary,  this  can  never  seem  like 
home  without  you."  —  "Well,  mother," 
she  replied,  "  I  mean,  if  it  is  God's  will, 
you  are  willing  that  I  should  go,  ain't 
you  ? "  It  was  hard  to  say  yes ;  but 
long  before  she  died  we  had  learned  to 
pray  that  she  might  soon  find  rest  from 
her  sufferings  in  the  bosom  of  that  Sav- 
iour whom  she  so  much  loved. 

This  Saturday  was  a  day  of  intense 
agony  for  little  Mary,  but  it  was  a  day 
of  constant  prayer.  She  asked  every 
one  who  entered  her  sick-room  to  pray 
with  her ;  and  lips  unused  to  prayer 
caught  the  inspiration  of  the  little  suf- 
ferer, and  poured  out  their  full  hearts  in 

B^^ 


w^ ^ 

y    00  LITTLE      MARY.  V 

fervent  petitions  unto  God.  To  borrow 
the  words  of  her  kind  pastor:  "She 
might  be  said  to  live  in  an  atmosphere 
of  prayer.  It  seemed  ever  to  soothe  her 
pain,  and  to  yield  happiness  to  her  spirit. 
Such  delight  in  oft-repeated  prayer,  and 
so  firm  a  reliance  on  its  efficacy,  I  have 
rarely  seen,  even  in  the  most  mature 
Christian.  Hers  was  indeed  a  child-like 
trust.  She  seemed  to  take  the  Saviour 
at  his  word,  and  make  him  her  '  all  and 
in  all.'  As  her  outer  life  waned,  her 
spiritual  life  grew  stronger  and  stronger, 
and  prayer  was  the  medium  by  which 
that  spiritual  life  was  communicated  to 
the  soul." 

During   this  day  she  often  asked  her 
father,  whom  perhaps  she  loved  best  of    ' 
m   all  her  friends,  to  pray  with  her.     He 

S^^ O^ico 


\i 


LITTLE      MARY.  57 


would  kneel  by  lier  side  and  try  to  pray  ; 
but,  overcome  by  his  emotions,  liis  voice 
choked,  and  he  could  not  utter  a  word. 
Once,  when  he  rose  hastily  from  his 
knees  and  left  the  room,  she  said,  ''  Tell 
father  not  to  feel  so  badly;  tell  him  I 
am  willing  to  go."  That  was  indeed  a 
comfort ;  l)ut  it  is  hard  to  soothe  tlie  sor- 
rows of  a  father's  heart  as  he  bends  over 
the  death-bed  of  his  moaning  child,  even 
by  such  blessed  assurance  as  this. 

The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  a  day 
of  the  severest  pain,  but,  as  Mary  told 
one  of  her  kind  watchers  at  its  close,  the 
happiest  day  of  her  life.  It  was  a  happy 
day  for  little  Mary,  because  Jesus  was 
very  near  her,  and  every  little  girl  is 
happy  who  has  Jesus  for  her  friend. 
Towards  nightfall,  as  she  sat  upon  the 


CPo 


SNa ^^^ 


? 


9^^ e^^S^ 

58  L  I  T  T  L  E      M  AR  Y. 

side  of  her  bed,  Tvith  her  pale  face  lean- 
ing upon  her  father's  shoulder,  and  his 
strong  arms  round  her,  she  exclaimed 
to  her  sister :  "  We're  so  happy  !  ain't  we, 
Kate  ?  "  Then,  looking  up  in  her  father's 
face,  and  seeing  that  he  was  in  tears,  she 
added :  "  TVe  are  all  happy,  ain't  we, 
father  ?  Ain't  you  happy ^  father  ?  You 
must  be  happy."  The  little  girl  had 
caught  the  spirit  of  those  beautiful 
words, 

"  Since  He  is  mine,  and  I  am  His, 
What  can  I  want  besides  1 " 

She  felt  that  every  one  who  loved  Jesus, 
and  whom  Jesus  loved,  must  be  happy. 

And  there  was  one  other  thing  which 
made  this  a  happy  Sabbath  for  Mary. 
She  had  been  working  for  Jesus.    What ! 

E€^3 ^ &^ 


ft€^e 

LITTLE      MARY. 


you  say,  a  little  girl  so  %Yeak  and  sick 
working  for  Jesus  ?  Yes.  Every  one 
who  really  loves  liim  will  work  fer  Jesus. 
They  can't  help  it.  They  will  find  a 
chance  somehow.  You  remember  how, 
when  Jesus  was  on  earth,  and  Andrew 
had  seen  him,  he  ran  at  once  and  found 
his  own  brother  Peter,  and  told  him  that 
he  had  found  Christ ;  and  Peter  soon 
found  him  too.  Andrew  never  did  very 
much  for  Jesus,  but  Peter,  you  know, 
did  a  great  deal ;  and,  perhaps,  if  it  had 
not  been  for  Andrew,  Peter  would  never 
have  found  the  Lord.  So  little  Mary, 
weak  and  sick  as  she  was,  and  so  soon 
to  die,  could  not  do  much  work  for 
Jesus  herself,  but  perhaps  she  could 
call  some  one  to  his  service  who  might 
work  lon^  and  hard  for  the  blessed  Mas- 


(S^gNa -e^tt 


/    60  LITTLE      MARY.  V 

ter.  At  any  rate,  she  called  her  ottii 
brotlicr  Johnnie  to  her  on  this  bright 
Sun claymorning,  just  as  Andrew  called 
Peter,  and  told  him  that  she  had  found 
Christ.  She  loved  Johnnie  very  much, 
and  played  with  him  a  great  deal  when 
she  was  well ;  and  now  she  wanted  him 
to  love  Jesus.  She  told  him  that  he 
must  be  a  good  boy,  and  not  wait  till  he 
was  sick  before  he  loved  the  Saviour,  as 
she  had  done.  She  reminded  him  that 
he  was  to  have  her  Bible  after  she  was 
gone,  and  said :  "  I  don't  give  you  my 
Bible  to  lay  up,  Johnnie  ;  I  give  it  to  you 
to  read." 

Mary  spoke  of  her  brother  Frank, 
too,  who  was  away  at  school,  saying : 
"I  should  think  tliat  Frank  was  old 
enough" —     Here    she    stopped,    citlier 

c^pg^a- 


I 


^^^3 ey^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  61     V^ 

because  she  was  in  so  much  pain,  or 
because  she  did  n't  quite  know  bow  to 
finish  the  sentence.  Her  mother  asked, 
"  Should  you  think  Frank  was  old 
enough  to  love  the  Saviour  ? "  —  "  Yes," 
replied  Mary,  "  and  he  don't  know  how 
pleasant  it  is."  She  longed  to  have  her 
whole  family  meet  her  in  heaven,  and 
seemed  to  be  willing  even  to  die  that  she 
might  lead  them  to  Christ.  Often  she 
urged  them  to  live  near  to  Jesus ;  and 
one  day,  when  her  mother  said  to  her, 
"  Mary,  I  don't  know  what  your  father 
will  do  without  you  ;  he  has  always 
idolized  you,"  she  answered,  "  I  know 
it,  mother ;  perhaps  that  is  why  I  am 
taken." 

Little    Mary   was    not    satisfied   with 
(J)    working  for   Christ   only   a   single    day.    m 


62  LITTLE      MARY. 

From  this  time  till  the  close  of  her  life 
she  "  watched  for  souls  as  one  that  must 
give  account."  Her  last  message  to 
the  children  of  the  Sabbath  school  was, 
"  Tell  them  to  love  Jesus,  and  meet  me 
in  heaven;"  and  many  of  them  wept 
over  her  message  after  their  little  sister, 
"  so  mild  and  lovely,"  was  laid  in  the 
silent  grave.  Towards  one  of  her  little 
playmates  she  was  especially  faithful. 
We  have  a  little  girl  in  Concord  whom 
we  call  '^  our  little  missionary  girl,"  be- 
cause her  father  and  mother  are  far 
away  over  the  deep  blue  sea,  trying  to 
teach  the  little  heathen  children  about 
Jesus.  Mary  loved  this  little  girl  very 
much,  and  one  day  she  sent  for  her  to 
come  and  see  her.  After  she  had  gone 
(h   home,  Mary  seemed  very  sad,  and  said  to    (K 

5s^ -^^ 


te^3 -^& 


n 


LITTLE      MARY.  63 


her  mother,  "  I  wanted  to  see  Mary  S. 
alone."  So  the  next  day  the  little  mis- 
sionary girl  was  summoned  to  her  bedside 
again,  and  Mary  had  a  long  talk  with  her. 
I  do  not  know  what  she  said,  but  I  know 
that  Mary  S.  went  home  sobbing  as  if 
her  heart  would  break,  and  saying,  "  I 
have  promised  little  Mary  G.  to  meet 
her  in  heaven." 

This  happy  Sabbath  of  which  I  have 
been  telling  you  was  begun  and  ended 
with  prayer.  When  Mary's  watchers 
entered  the  room  at  night,  she  said,  "  0, 
Mrs.  D.,  will  you  pray  with  me  ?"  —  "I 
will  try  to,  Mary,"  she  replied ;  ^'  what 
shall  I  pray  for  ?"  Mary's  answer  was, 
"  That  I  may  be  a  good  girl,  and  love 
the  Saviour."  May  that  be  the  prayer 
m   of  every  child  who  reads  this  little  book,    (h 


fe^- 


y     04:  LITTLE      MARY.  V 

•"  Let  me  love  thee  more  and  more, 
If  I  love  at  all,  I  praj  : 
If  I  never  loved  before. 
Help  me  to  begin  to-day." 


k^ e4 


|g:/3 es;^ 


u 


I 


^Ijaphr   Jfiftfe. 

•WAITING    FOK    DELIVERANCE. 

Ox  the  following  Monday  we  told 
Mary  that  we  had  sent  for  Dr.  Bowditch, 
of  Boston,  to  come  up  and  see  her. 
Her  first  thought  was,  "  Is  he  a  Chris- 
tian?" She  seemed  throughout  her  ill- 
ness to  be  very  grateful  to  her  physicians 
for  their  tenderness  and  care ;  but  we 
could  see  that  she  would  have  been  hap- 
pier if  she  could  have  been  in  charge  of 
one  who  might  at  the  same  time  have 
ministered  to  the  body  and  the  soul. 
On   the    arrival  of  Dr.  B.  he   gave   us 


^Na ; e/=^ 


CP^ 


^;/3 e^^ 

/    66  LITTLE      HART. 

some  encouragement  to  hope  for  Mary's 
recovery,  and  we  told  her  of  this,  but 
it  seemed  to  awaken  very  little  hope  in 
her  own  breast.  During  all  this  week 
she  suffered  much,  yet  seemed  to  be 
clinging  to  Jesus,  and  confident  that 
''the  great  Physician"  could  do  much 
more  for  her  than  any  human  helper. 

On  Wednesday  her  brother  was  at 
home,  and  read  and  prayed  with  her. 
She  was  very  weak,  and  he  feared  that 
the  service  would  weary  her ;  but  she 
said,  "  Xo,  I  love  to  hear  you.  I  am  too 
tired  to  talk,  but  I  want  you  to  sit  by 
my  side  and  talk  to  me."  He  remained 
by  her  bedside,  rubbing  her  swollen 
limbs,  and  repeating  a  few  verses  from 
the  Bible,  or  from  her  favorite  hymns, 
and  now  and  then  ntterino:  a  few  words 


-e^^^ 


t 


3^0 e^^^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  G7 


of  prayer.  She  seemed  to  delight  in 
listening,  and  once,  as  he  was  speaking 
of  the  attractions  of  heaven,  and  said, 
''  Sometimes  heaven  seems  so  glorious, 
and  Jesus  so  precious,  that  I  feel  as  if 
we  could  n't  go  to  him  too  soon,"  she 
interrupted  him  with  the  words,  "  That 
is  the  way  it  seems  to  me."  Later  in 
the  day,  our  former  pastor.  Dr.  Stow, 
visited  the  little  sufferer,  and  read  and 
prayed  with  her.  As  he  rose  from  his 
knees,  he  asked  her  if  she  did  not  want 
to  get  well.  She  looked  him  calmly 
in  the  face,  and  answered,  "  If  it  is  the 
will  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  I  should  like  to 
get  well ;  but  I  am  not  afraid  to  die.  I 
think  I  should  go  to  be  with  Jesus." 

Dr.  S.  saw  her  but  for  a  few  moments, 
at  a  time  when  she  Avas  so  much  under 


Q^^ e^^ 


68  LITTLE      MARY. 


I 


the  influence  of  powerful  medicines  that 
she  did  not  seem  to  us  like  herself ;  but 
he  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  loveli- 
ness of  her  Christian  character.  After 
little  Mary's  body,  was  laid  in  the  grave, 
he  wrote  to  her  father :  "  The  maid  is 
not  dead,  but  sleepeth.  She  sleeps  in 
Jesus.  Her  spirit,  released  from  a  body 
of  pain  and  protracted  agony,  rests  in 
the  bosom  of  her  Saviour.  You  have 
joy  in  the  departure  of  your  Mary,  the 
sweetest  solace  you  could  have  in  any 
case.  She  was  the  best  prepared  of  any 
of  you  for  an  exchange  of  worlds. 
Jesus  wanted  just  that  flower  from  your 
garden  to  deck  the  paradise  on  high. 
There  she  blooms  in  imperishable  beauty 
and  fragrance.  No  autumnal  frosts  can 
reach  her  there.     Safe  home  !     May  you    q 


(h   reacn  ner  tnere.     ^aie  nome  :     xuay  you    q 
fe^a e^ 


9^^^ ^'^^ 

L  I  T  T  L  E      M  AR  Y.  69 


I 


all  so  live  that  you  may  as  safely  finish 
your  appointed  course,  and  be  forever 
with  her  in  the  better  land." 

On  Sunday  evening  Mary  seemed  to 
revive  a  little,  and  sent  for  her  pastor, 
who  came  and  talked  with  her  about 
heaven,  a  theme  which  never  failed  to 
interest  her.  As  he  told  her  that  there 
would  be  no  pain  there,  and  expressed 
the  hope  that  soon  they  might  both  join 
the  angels  in  singing  the  praises  of  God, 
she  exclaimed,  witli  childish  earnestness, 
"0,  won't  that  %  nicer'  The  next 
day  Dr.  Bowditch  Msited  Mary  again, 
and  found  her  failing  fast.  After  he 
was  gone,  she  said  to  her  aunt,  ''  I  guess 
Dr.  Bowditch  didn't  give  you  much 
encouragement  this  time  ?  "  On  being 
frankly  told  tliat  he  did  not,  she  added,    m 


^N3- 


W^ 


O^o 


&^ 

70  LITTLE      MARY. 

''  Aunt  Xaiicy,  I  am  ii  little  bit  afraid  to 
die,  —  onli/  just  a  little  hit^  But  the 
next  day  even  that  little  cloud  which 
obscured  the  sunshine  of  her  faith  was 
gone.  Her  grandmother  came  to  bid 
her  a  last  good-by,  and  said,  "  Mary,  I 
hope  I  shall  meet  you  in  heaven." 
— "  You  must  he  sure  and  come  there^ 
grandmother,  and  tell  grandfather  to 
come  too."  — "  Mary  is  not  afraid  to 
die  ?  "  said  her  mother.  "  No  I "  exclaimed 
the  little  girl,  with  wonderful  earnest- 
ness, "  not  a  speck  ofr-id."  Then,  after 
her  mother  had  left  tae  room,  she  turned 
to  Mrs.  P.,  and  said,  "  Sometimes  it 
seems  as  if  I  couldn't  wait."  It  was 
very  touching,  during  this  last  interview 
between  the  aged  grandmother  and  her 
)    dying  namesake,  to  hear  the  little  drl 


^^ &^^ 


LITTLE      MARY.  /I 


t 


say,  "  Grandmother,  if  there  are  any  of 
my  things  which  you  want  after  I  am 
gone,  you  shall  have  them."  Now,  as 
ever,  she  was  more  thoughtful  of  others 
than  herself. 

All  hope  of  Mary's  recovery  was  now 
abandoned,  and  her  mother  said  to  her, 
"  Darling,  if  you  must  go,  I  should  love 
to  go  with  you."  — "  0,  no!"  she  ex- 
claimed, as  if  horror-stricken  at  the 
thought,  ''  you  must  stay  and  comfort 
father."  It  was  touching  to  see  how 
tenderly  she  clung  to  him  to  the  very 
end  of  life.  She  seemed  to  have  some- 
thing which  she  wanted  very  much  to 
say  to  him ;  but  whenever  she  tried  to 
speak,  his  tears  and  sobs  interrupted  her. 
At  last  her  mother  said  to  her,  "  If  you 
have    anything   whicli    you   would    like 


w. 


c-S^ e^ 


2  LITTLE      MARY. 


your  father  to  do,  tell  me  what  it  is,  and 
it  shall  be  done."  —  "  Tell  him  to  live 
NEAR  THE  Saviour,"  was  her  answer. 
It  was  a  simple  message,  but  it  was 
enough.  The  faithful  and  loving  wife 
had  pledged  her  husband  to  their  dying 
child  "  to  live  near  the  Saviour,"  and 
Mary  could  die  happy. 

But  Mary  not  only  thought  of  her 
father ;  she  thought  of  all  her  friends, 
and  tried  even  in  little  things  to  make 
them  happy.  "  Mother,"  she  said,  "  I 
should  like  to  have  Kate  and  William 
and  the  baby  come  over  and  spend  the 
day,  if  it  ivould  not  he  too  much  trouble  fa?- 
you.'^  I  am  afraid  that  many  little  girls 
who  are  strong  and  well  are  not  so 
thoughtful  of  their  mother's  comfort. 
m   xVnd  why  do  you  think  she  wanted  these   q 


9€^o &^ 


I 


LITTLE      MARY.  73 


friends  to  visit  her?  She  wanted  Wil- 
liam and  Kate  to  pray  with  her.  A 
week  before  she  had  said  to  her  mother, 
"  Do  you  think  William  loould  pray  with 
me  if  I  asked  him  ? "  She  seemed  to 
retain  her  delight  in  prayer  and  song  to 
the  very  last.  Indeed,  this  was  never 
more  touchingly  shown  than  on  the  last 
Wednesday  she  spent  on  earth. 

On  the  morning  of  that  day  her  pastor 
came  in,  and  sat  by  her  bedside  for  a 
long  time,  but,  as  Mary  seemed  to  be  in 
great  distress,  did  not  offer  to  pray  with 
her.  At  last  she  turned  to  him  and 
said,  "  Why  don't  you  pray,  Mr.  Flan- 
ders? "  He  replied,  ''  I  have  been  pray- 
ing all  this  time,  Mary."  —  "Why  don't 
you  pray  aloud  ?  "  —  "  Because  I  was 
m   afraid  it  would  tire  you."  —  "  0  no,"  slie 

feo ^ 


(^^^ CXSTJ 

74  L  I  T  T  L  E      MAR  Y. 


replied,  "  I  would  like  a  short  prayer, 
but  you  must  not  mind  if  I  get  to 
sleep."  He  knelt  down  and  offered  a 
brief  petition.  As  he  rose,  she  ex- 
claimed, "  I  want  more  !  "  —  "  More 
what  ?  "  said  her  mother.  "  More 
prayer."  0  that  older  Christians  had 
such  a  longing  for  the  throne  of  grace 
as  little  Mary  had !  She  did  indeed 
want  "  more  prayer."  Her  brother  Ed- 
die, her  mother,  her  aunts,  her  sisters, 
—  all  who  came  in,  —  were  permitted 
to  share  in  the  precious  privilege  of 
praying  by  her  bedside.  When  Mrs.  L. 
came  to  watch  with  her,  Mary  at  once 
said,  ''  Pray  ; "'  and  the  good  woman  did 
pray,  as  if  the  gates  of  heaven  were  open 
before  her,  and  the  dear  Saviour  stood 
ready  to  snatch  each  sentence,  as  it  fell 


o^o  "^  ^"^^^O 


LITTLE      MARY.  75 


'<^ 


from  licr  lips,  and  present  it  as  sweet 
incense  unto  God.  When  she  was  done, 
Mary  said,  "  Take  the  chair  at  which 
Mrs.  L.  knelt  and  place  it  beside  the 
bed,  with  a  pillow  on  it,  so  that  I  can 
lean  against  it."  It  was  done,  and  she 
sat  upon  the  bedside  for  some  minutes, 
leaning  against  the  chair  in  an  attitude 
of  devotion,  and  saying,  "  Now  I  can 
pray  myself."  The  exertion  wearied 
her,  and  she  was  soon  obliged  to  lie 
down  again.  After  she  was  settled  in 
bed,  she  said  to  her  mother,  "  Mother,  I 
could  n't  collect  my  thoughts."  — "  You 
need  not  collect  them,  darling ;  a  single 
thought  is  enough,"  was  her  mother's 
reply.  And  it  was  a  beautiful  and  true 
reply.  No  little  child  must  think,  be- 
cause she   cannot  offer  such  prayers   as 

feo e^^ 


7G  LITTLE      MARY. 


her  father  or  lier  pastor  do,  that  God 
will  not  hear  and  answer.  He  loves  the 
prayers  of  little  children. 

During  the  same  day  she  asked  her 
sister  Bidie  to  give  her  the  book  which 
Mrs.  Flanders  had  sent  her,  and  insisted 
on  finding  for  herself  a  hymn  which  had 
been  marked,  though  the  effort  evidently 
wearied  her  very  much.  The  book  was 
''  Songs  in  the  Night,"  and  the  hymn  is 
called,  "  Go  and  tell  Jesus."  When 
Mary  had  found  it,  she  asked  her  sister 
to  read  it  to  her.  Then  she  wished  her 
to  read  another  hymn,  and  Bidie  selected 

"  "When  languor  and  disease  invade 
This  trembling  house  of  ch\y," 

and  read  it  through.  You  may  read  it 
for  yourself,  and  see  how  full  of  precious 

<5g^3 e^9^ 


I 


1 


^^^ -Gs^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  77 

thoughts  it  is  for  a  little  girl  who.  feels 
that  she  is  soon  to  die.  Mary  then 
wanted  her  sister  to  go  down  in  the 
parlor  and  play  on  the  piano.  She 
played  "  Evan ; "  and,  as  the  melody 
floated  sweetly  upward  to  the  sick-room, 
Mary  herself  began  to  sing, 

V  O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God  ! 
A  calm  and  heavenly  frame  ! 
A  light  to  shine  upon  the  road 
Which  leads  me  to  the  Lamb  !  " 


The  melody  then  changed  to  the  "  Shin- 
ing Shore,"  and  as  the  little  sufferer 
recognized  the  tune,  she  exclaimed,  "■  I 
can  see  it !  I  can  see  it ! "  Perhaps 
she  could,  for  she  was  certainly  very 
near  to  heaven. 

Little    Mary   not    only    delighted    in 


d^^ ^^"B^ 


ev.^ 


LITTLE      MART. 


prayoi-  and  praise,  but  she  longed  for 
the  iiouse  of  God.  On  this  last  Wednes- 
day, when  so  many  little  girls  were 
playing  with  their  dolls,  or  rolling  their 
hoops  in  the  bright  sunshine,  our  happy 
little  Mary  lay,  in  her  darkened  room, 
on  a  bed  of  pain.  Don't  you  think  she 
longed  to  be  out  in  the  clear,  cool  air  ? 
0,  yes !  and  I  will  tell  you*  why. 
''  Mother,"  she  said,  ''  I  should  like  to 
go  to  church  once  more.  When  Harry 
comes  home,  can't  we  have  him  preach 
a  sermon  in  this  room  ?  It  would  be  so 
pleasant  to  have  a  meeting  here."  And 
then  she  added,  "  Mother,  I  wish  you 
would  have  Frank  and  Johnnie  go  to 
meeting  all  day.  I  don't  love  to  have 
them  go  only  half  a  day."  It  would 
(T)   have  been  a  precious  privilege  to  me  to 


^ 


&^^ 


L  I  T  T  L  E      M  AR  Y.  79 

have  preached  from  the  words,  "  0 
Death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  Grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  ? "  within  that  quiet 
room ;  and  her  mother  promised  little 
Mary  that  I  should,  if  she  were  well 
enough  to  hear  me.  But  before  I  stood 
by  my  darling's  side  she  had  grown  so 
weak  and  faint  that  I  could  only  talk  to 
her  in  broken  sentences  of  Jesus'  love. 


3^gN3 e^ 


ALMOST  HOME  — ASLEEP  IX  JESUS  —  MOUX'T  AUBtJEX. 

Ox  the  next  morning  after  this  happy 
Wednesday,  we  gathered  in  Mary's  room 
to  see  her  die.  She  seemed  to  be  suffer- 
ing more  than  ever  before,  and  no  one 
thought  that  her  feeble  frame  could  long 
endure  such  agony.  As  her  weeping 
friends  bent  over  her,  eager  to  catch  the 
last  words  which  fell  from  their  darling's 
lips,  she  opened  her  full,  bright  eyes, 
turned  languidly  towards  her  mother, 
and  motioned  for  water.  A  glass  was 
filled  and  offered,  but  she  turned  away. 


oC\j 


y  LITTLE      MARY.  ^^       \ 

Summoning  her  strength,  as  for  a  last 
effort,  she  exclaimed,  *'  Let  father  give  it 
to  me."  Like  the  blessed  Saviour,  she 
loved  her  own  unto  the  end.  As  the 
strong  man  bent  in  speechless  anguish 
over  his  darling  child,  and  pressed  the 
tumbler  to  her  pallid  lips,  more  than  one 
of  us  recalled  the  promise,  "  Whosoever 
shall  give  to  one  of  these  little  ones  a 
cup  of  cold  water  only,  shall  in  no  wise 
lose  his  reward."  We  prayed  that  the 
loving  father  might  be  rewarded  mani- 
fold for  his  tender  care  of  the  dying 
child. 

God's  time  for  the  deliverance  of  little 
Mary  had  not  yet  come.  Powerful 
remedies  relieved  her  pain,  and  seemed 
to  give  her  a  new  hold  on  life  ;  but  it 
was   not   the   life   in  which  we   had   so 


.1! 


Opg^ 6^ 


1 


82  L  I  T  T  L  E      M  A  R  y 


delighted.  Her  mind  Avas  clouded,  and 
seemed  sometimes  to  wander.  Still  she 
knew  and  loved  us  all ;  and,  best  of  all, 
she  knew  and  loved  her  Saviour.  It 
wearied  her  to  talk ;  but  she  loved  to 
listen  to  those  who  spoke  of  the  Lamb 
of  God;  and  it  was  evident,  from  her 
answers  to  their  inquiries,  that  Jesus  was 
still  precious  to  her,  and  heaven  a  near 
and  pleasant  reality.  I  do  not  think 
there  was  a  single  day  in  which  she  did 
not  ask  for  prayer,  and  prayer  was 
freely  and  fervently  offered  by  her  side. 
Such  prayers  I  had  never  heard  as  those 
which  went  up  to  heaven  from  that 
chamber  of  suffering.  On  Friday  her 
mother  asked  her  if  she  would  like  her . 
brother  to  come  in  and  pray  with  her. 
m   She  looked  up  almost  reproachfully,  and   n 

§£^ ^ e^ 


t€^3 e^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  83 


"i 


O^ 


answered  :*  "  Have  I  not  told  you  many 
times  ?  "  More  prayer  was  still  her 
watcliword.  Once  or  twice  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  she  asked  for  singing  ;  but 
she  was  so  weak  that  even  her  favorite 
hymns  wearied  her,  and  she  soon  hushed 
the  loving  voices  which  sung  of  Jesus. 

The  last  Sabbath  which  little  Mary 
spent  on  earth  was  the  last  day  on 
which  all  her  loved  ones  were  gathered 
around  her  bed.  We  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  having  family  worship,  on  Sab- 
bath mornings,  in  Mary's  room,  since  she 
had  been  so  ill.  I  do  not  know  whether 
she  realized  that  it  was  God's  holy  day, 
for  she  'had  so  fully  caught  the  spirit  of 
heaven,  that,  as  she  herself  said,  "  every 
day  seemed  like  Sunday  now."  But  I 
think  she  remembered  the  day ;  for  when 


ft€^3 ^^ 

84  LITTLE      MART. 

her  mother  came  into  the  room,  after 
breakfast,  she  said :  "  Turn  me  over, 
quick !  "  and  when  it  was  done,  added, 
"  Now  I  suppose  Ave  will  have  prayers." 
Her  mother  replied,  "  Well,  I  will  call 
Henry,  and  no  one  else  shall  come."  — 
"  Why  not  more  ?  "  said  Mary.  "  Be- 
cause I  thought  it  would  weary  you," 
answered  her  mother.  "  Do  you  want 
them  all?"  She  said, '' Yes,"  and  the 
whole  family  were  summoned  to  her 
bedside  —  oppressed  by  the  thought  that 
never  again  would  they  all  unite  on  earth 
in  the  worship  of  God.  I  think  it  was 
then  that  I  read  Luke's  touching  narra- 
tive of  that  Jewish  ruler  who  luad  "  one 
only  daughter,  about  huelve  years  of  age, 
and  sJie  laij  a-dying^^  and,  like  Jairus  of 
old,    "  fell   down    at  Jesus'  feet  and  be- 


St:0 


^f^ e^ 

y  LITTLE      MARY.  85 

sought  liim  that  he  would  come  into 
our  house."  Never  since  then  have  we 
gathered  around  the  family  altar  with- 
out recalling  that  thrilling  scene. 

On  Tuesday,  November  6,  the  death 
angel  was  indeed  hovering  over  Mary's 
couch,  but  he  came  in  no  gloomy  form. 
Little  Mary  had  suffered  so  much  during 
her  illness  that  we  dreaded  to  think  what 
the  last  struggle  might  be.  As  she  lin- 
gered along  from  day  to  day,  our  oft- 
repeated  question  was,  "  Will  the  end 
be  peaceful  and  quiet  ?  "  God  was  bet- 
ter than  our  fears.  During  the  morning 
of  this  day  Mary  lay  in  a  sort  of  doze. 
Once  or  twice  she  asked,  by  signs  or 
broken  words,  for  "  more  prayer,"  and 
her  pastor  and  brother  led  her  to  the 
throne  of  grace.     While  the  family  were 


I 


86  LITTLE      MARY. 


at  dinner,  her  mother  remained  by- 
Mary's  side,  and,  as  she  seemed  quiet 
and  wakeful,  said,  ''  Little  Mary  is  going 
to  heaven.  We  are  the  ones  to  be  pitied, 
darling.  You  will  soon  be  happy." 
"  Yes,"  she  replied,  "■  it  seems  as  if  I 
couldn't  wait  so  long."  Then,  after  a 
short  pause,  she  looked  up  earnestly  in 
her  mother's  face,  and  added,  '•'  0, 
mother !  when  ?  how  long  ?  "  —  '^  I  don't 
know,  darling;  soon,  I  hope,"  was  the 
reply. 

After  dinner  she  seemed  to  be  grad- 
ually failing,  and  in  much  distress.  She 
talked  a  great  deal,  but  so  indistinctly 
that  we  could  catch  only  a  word  now 
and  then.  At  last  she  said,  very  dis- 
tinctly, "  Why  don't  somebody  talk  ?  " 
Q   Her  mother   replied,  "  We   feel  so  sad, 


./  LITTLE      MARY.  87    V 

darling,  to  see  you  suffer,  that  we  can't 
talk."  Her  brother,  who  was  already  m 
the  room,  now  approached  the  bed,  and, 
laying  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the 
dying  saint,  began  to  repeat  brief  pas- 
sages of  Scripture,  and  utter  short  sen- 
tences of  prayer  or  words  of  comfort 
and  hope.  This  service  continued  for 
perhaps  half  an  hour,  and  during  the 
whole  time  not  a  word  or  a  groan  escaped 
the  little  sufferer.  Her  aspect  was  per- 
fectly tranquil,  and  the  impression  left 
upon  her  weeping  friends  was  tliat  of 
peace  and  joy  in  ihe  presence  of  Jesus 
and  the  near  approach  of  heaven.  Fear- 
ing that  she  might  be  fatigued,  her 
brother  left  her  side,  and  her  pillows 
were  adjusted  so  as  to  render  her  posi- 
(?)   tion  more  comfortable.     When  this  had   q 


c^/3- e^ 

y     88  L  I  T  T  L  E      M  AR  Y. 

been  done,  she  seemed  as  if  something 
was  still  wanthig  to  her  comfort,  and  her 
mother  asked,  "  Do  joii  want  Harry  to 
tell  you  some  more  about  Jesus  ?  "  She 
replied,  "0/"  course  I  do  ;^^  and  he  was 
recalled  to  her  side.  As  he  entered  the 
room,  she  said,  "Tell  me  quick,  or  it 
will  be  too  late  !  "  — "  Dear  child,"  he  re- 
plied, "  you  will  soon  know  more  about 
Jesus  than  we  can  tell  you.  You  will 
see  Jesus.  He  will  take  you  in  his  arms 
and  carry  you  in  his  bosom ;  he  will 
lead  you  into  green  pastures  and  beside 
still  waters ;  he  will  bring  you  to  those 
dear  brothers  and  sisters  who  have  gone 
before  you  to  heaven,  and  soon,  very 
soon,  some  of  us  will  meet  you  there." 
Then,  throwing  his  thoughts  into  the 
(K   form   of  prayer,  he   continued :    ''  Dear   (j) 

^ e4 


ope ^ e^ 

J  LITTLE      MARY.  89    V 

Jesus,  we  thank  thee  that  when  thou 
wast  on  earth  thou  didst  say,  '  Suffer 
little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  for- 
bid them  not.'  Here  is  a  little  child 
who  means  to  take  thee  at  thy  word,  who 
wants  to  come  to  thee  and  say,  Blessed 
Saviour,  here  I  am" —  No  one  who  wit- 
nessed the  scene  can  ever  forget  the  ear- 
nestness and  emphasis  with  which  she 
interrupted  him  at  this  point,  saying, 
"  Yes^  yes,  that 's  it !  "  Again,  as  he  con- 
tinued in  prayer,  and  was  pleading  the 
precious  promise,  "  When  thou  passest 
through  the  waters  I  will  be  with  thee, 
and  through  the  rivers  they  shall  not 
overflow  thee,"  she  tried  to  speak,  ap- 
parently desirous  to  bear  witness  to  the 
truth,  but  her  voice  failed  her.  Her 
brother  leaned  over  her,  and  said,  "  It 's 


C;^S/3 e<^ 

y    90  LITTLE      MARY.  V 

true,  isn't  it,  darling  ?  " — "  0,  yes,"  she 
replied,  "  but  I  'm  too  tired  to  hear 
more  now." 

A  few  minutes  later  she  called  for  her 
brother  Johnnie,  and  he,  with  Addie, 
the  youngest  of  the  flock,  was  led  to  her 
bedside.  ''  Bring  him  where  I  can  see 
him,"  she  said ;  and  the  two  boys  were 
placed  where  her  eyes  fell  full  upon 
'them.  "  Now  bring  them  some  little 
chairs  —  or  any  chairs."  Her  request 
was  complied  with ;  and  the  two  boys, 
seated  side  by  side,  with  streaming  eyes, 
while  their  dying  sister  gazed  wistfully 
and  intently  at  them,  and  weeping 
friends  thronged  the  room,  presented  a 
scene  over  which  the  angels  of  heaven 
must  have  bent  with  tearful  interest. 
Fearhip;   that   she   would  be   imable   to 


d^^^ eQ 


^c^ 


e^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  91       ' 


(1)    

address  them  herself,  so  rapidly  did  she 
fail,  I  passed  again  to  her  side,  and 
placing  my  hand  on  her  brow,  where 
the  death-sweat  was  already  gathering, 
said :  ''  You  want  them  to  be  good  boys, 
darling,  and  love  the  blessed  Saviour?" 
—  "  0,  yes  !  "  she  said.  "  And  then,"  I 
added,  "  when  they  come  to  die,  Jesus 
will  be  near  them,  to  support  and  com- 
fort them,  as  he  does  little  Mary." 
Again  she  said,  "  0,  yes  !  "  and,  in  reply 
to  further  words  of  consolation,  expressed 
her  consciousness  of  the  presence  and 
preciousness  of  the  Saviour. 

During  this  last  scene  her  pastor  had 
entered  the  room,  and  I  said  to  him, 
"  If  you  would  offer  a  short  prayer,  I 
know  it  would  be  acceptable  to  Mary." 
He  kneeled  by  her  bedside  and  uttered 

3^gN3 — e^^ 


2 


i 


Q:^^ e^O 


f 


I 


92  LITTLE      MARY. 

a  few  words,  but  she  inteiTuptecl  him, 
saying,  "  Xot  just  now ;  wait  a  minute  ; 
I  'm  too  tired."  The  time  for  finish- 
ing his  prayer  never  came.  From  this 
moment  she  gradually  and  gently  failed, 
until,  at  half-past  three,  she  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus,  —  so  peacefully,  that  for  several 
minutes  we  could  hardly  tell  whether 
she  was  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  "  For 
so  He  giveth  his  beloved  sleep."  May 
God  grant  that  little  Johnnie  and  Addie, 
and  many  more  little  children,  may  be 
won  by  her  happy  life  and  peaceful  death 
to  Jesus'  arms. 


Three  days  after  our  little  Mary  had 
fallen  asleep  in  Jesus  a  sad  procession 


o^^ e^O 


^  LITTLE     MARY.  93 


wound  its  way  through  the  avenues  of 
Mount  Auburn  to  lay  her  body  in  the 
quiet  grave.  It  was  a  lovely  day,  and 
lovely  was  the  tall,  lithe  form  which  lay 
in  her  wreathed  casket  amid  the  rustling 
leaves.  The  joyous  look  of  childhood 
had  chased  the  traces  of  pain  and  sor- 
row from  her  worn  features,  and  stran- 
gers even  drew  near  and  wept  over  the 
grave  of  the  lovely  sleeper.  It  was  a  sad 
and  yet  a  joyous  sight ;  for  we  could  say, 
with  no  doubtful  and  faltering  accents, 
"  It  is  well  with  the  child."  Many  a 
heart  murmured  Amen  as  one  who 
knew  little  Mary  well  repeated  the 
words  with  which  old  John  Bunyan 
introduces  the  dying  Christian  to  his 
heavenly  home.  "  Now,  just  as  the  gates 
were  opened  to  let  in  the  men,  I  looked 

gN3 e^ 


LITTLE      MAEY. 


ill  after  them,  and  behold,  the  city  shone 
like  the  sun ;  the  streets  also  were  paved 
with  gold ;  and  in  ihem  walked  many 
men  with  crowns  on  their  heads,  palms 
in  their  hands,  and  golden  harps  to  sing 
praises  withal.  There  were  also  some 
of  them  that  had  wings,  and  they 
answered  one  another  without  intermis- 
sion, saying,  '  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the 
Lord  ! '  And  after  that  they  shut  up 
the  gates;  which  when  I  had  seen,  I 
wished  myself  among  themy 

Is  this  wish  yours,  dear  reader  ?  Let 
your  life  and  death  be  that  of  Little 
Mary. 

"  Another  hand  is  beckoning  us, 
Another  call  is  given  ; 
And  glows  once  more  with  angel-steps 
(0  The  path  which  reaches  heaven.  Q 

fe© 6^ 


'I 


L  I  TT  L  E      M  AR  Y.  95 


"  Our  young  and  gentle  friend,  whose  smile 
Made  biigliter  summer  hours, 
Amid  the  frost  of  autumn  time 
lias  left  us  with  the  flowers. 
#  #  *  #  # 

"  Fold  her,  O  Father,  in  thine  arms. 
And  let  her  henceforth  be 
A  messenger  of  love  between 
Our  human  hearts  and  thee. 

"  Still  let  lier  mild  rebuking  stand 
Between  us  and  the  Avrong ; 
And  her  dear  memory  serve  to  make 
Our  faith  in  goodness  strong. 

"  And  grant  that  she  who,  trembling  here. 
Distrusted  all  her  powers. 
May  welcome  to  her  holier  home 
The  well-beloved  of  ours." 


^-a— ^ Jl 


^fe^ 


I 


m   bei 


Cbapttr    Stfatntb. 

JESUS  TH2  I.ITTI.E    CHILDHES'S   SAVIom. 

You  have  beard  a  great  deal,  dear 
cliildren,  about  tbe  blessed  SaTioiir 
wbom  little  Mary  loved,  who  left  his 
home  in  heaven  and  became  a  little  child 
on  earth,  and  then,  when  he  had  grown 
to  be  a  man,  did  many  wonderful  works, 
uttered  many  precious  words,  and  at 
last  died  on  Calvary.  I  hope  you  are 
not  tired  of  hearing  about  him,  for  I 
want  to  tell  you  that  he  died  for  you, 
and  help  you,  if  I  can,  to  love  him  and 
serve  him.     Some   folks   seem  to  tliink 


ff- 


'O 


(jz^r^^  ~  ^'c^j 


f^— ^ 

y  LITTLE      MARY.  l\ 

that  little  children  have  no  need  of  the 
Saviour,  and  cannot  love  him  if  they 
would.  But  I  think  that  any  child  who 
is  old  enough  to  read  this  little  book  is 
old  enough  to  need  the  Saviour  and  love 
him  too.  You  love  your  father,  I  sup- 
pose ?  Of  course  you  do,  for  he  loves 
you,  and  takes  very  tender  care  of  you. 
But  Jesus  loves  you  much  better  than 
your  father,  and  watches  over  you  far 
more  tenderly.  Se  loves  you  well  enough 
to  die  for  you.  And  can't  you  love  him 
just  as  you  do  your  own  father  ?  If  you 
can't,  you  must  be  a  very  hard-hearted 
little  child.  But  I  think  you  can.  At 
any  rate,  I  want  to  .help  you  to  try ;  for 
I  don't  believe  Jesus  would  have  "  died 
for  all "  unless  he  felt  that  all,  even  the 


m   voungest,  needed  him,  and  wanted  all  to   () 

^ -^' 


I 


^m^ e^^ 


1 


'^ —  — ''>r\ 

/J^     98  LITTLE      MARY.  \ 

love  liim.  Your  little  baby  brother  can't 
know  anything  about  Jesus  yet,  and  of 
course  he  can't  love  him.  But  if  you 
are  old  enough  to  have  your  kind  mother 
or  sister  tell  you  about  Jesus,  you  are 
quite  old  enough  to  love  him,  and  he 
longs  to  have  you  do  so. 

You  remember,  when  Jesus  was  on 
earth,  that  one  day,  in  the  wild,  rough 
country  over  beyond  the  river  Jordan, 
the  people  brought  little  children  to  the 
Saviour,  "  tliat  he  might  put  his  hands 
011^ them  and  pray."  Jesus'  friends  were 
very  much  annoyed  at  this,  and  tried  to 
stop  it.  Perhaps  they  thought  that  their 
Master  was  tired,  for  he  had  been  talk- 
ing a  great  deal  that  day.  Perhaps 
they  thought,  as  some  do  now,  that 
Jesus  could  not  do  such  little  children 


I 


d^^^ e^^ 


9p9 S^ 

y  LITTLE      MART.  99     X 

any  good.  But  Jesus  did  not  think 
so.  Indeed,  lie  was  grieved  with  his 
friends  for  sending  the  people  away. 
He  loved  the  little  children,  and  called 
them  to  himself.  He  took  them  up  in 
his  arms,  put  his  hands  upon  them,  and 
blessed  them.  It  must  have  been  a 
touching  sight  to  see  the  little  children 
nestling  up  to  the  bosom  of  the  Great 
Teacher,  won  by  his  gentle  smile  and 
kind  words.  I  am  sure  you  would  have 
loved  him  if  you  could  have  seen  him 
then  ;  and  he  is  just  the  same  gentle  and 
loving  Saviour  now. 

When  Jesus  called  the  little  children 
to  himself,  he  said,  "  Suffer  little  chil- 
dren TO   COME   UXTO  ME,  AXD  FORBID  TIIEM 


You  may  learn  these  precious 


100  LITTLE      MART. 


words,  and  repeat  them  in  tlie  Sabbath- 
scliool  concert,  and  when  you  say  them 
thmk  —  Jesus  meant  that  for  me;  he 
wants  me  to  come  to  him.  There  will 
be  many  little  children  in  heaven  besides 
the  dear  one  of  whom  you  have  been 
reading.  I  have  two  little  sisters  and  a 
little  brother  who  died  before  they  were 
old  enough  to  know  much  about  Jesus  ; 
but  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  are  in 
Jesus'  arms  now,  and  know  much  more 
about  him  than  we  do.  And  I  think 
there  are  a  great  many  more  little  chil- 
dren there,  who  came  from  China  and 
Burmah  and  the  islands  of  the  sea  to 
Jesus'  bosom,  —  so  many,  indeed,  that 
Jesus  could  truthfully  call  heaven  "  the 
little  children's  heaven;"  for  that  is  what 
(T)  he  means  when  he  says,  ''  Theirs  is  the    (T) 

fe^e ^ e4 


^^ ^"^ 

LITTLE      MARY.  101 

kingdom  of  lieaveii."  You  remember 
the  little  hymn  which  begins  — 

"  Little  travellers  Zionward, 
Each  one  entering  into  rest. 
In  the  kingdom  of  your  Lord, 
In  the  mansions  of  the  blest  "1  — 

It  is  a  very  beautiful  and  true  hymn, 
but  sometimes  it  makes  me  sad  when  I 
hear  it  sung,  for  I  think  that  there  will 
be  many  more  little  children  than  grown 
persons  in  heaven,  and  I  want  all  to  go 
there. 

If  you  had  died  when  you  were  a  little 
baby,  I  am  very  sure  that  Jesus  would 
have  taken  you  right  to  heaven,  and 
taught  you  there  to  love  himself.  But 
even  then  he  would  have  had  to  give  you 
0   a  new  heart ;  for  Jesus  himself  tells  us   m 

fee e^ 


^. ^ 

102  LITTLE      MARY.  V 

that  "  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
is  flesli,  and  that  which  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  is  spirit,"  —  a  Terse  which 
means  that  no  one,  not  even  the  young- 
est child,  can  love  Jesus  unless  God's 
blessed  Spirit  helps  him.  Jesus  did  not 
forget  this  when  the  little  children  clus- 
tered about  him  ;  but  he  meant  to  help 
the  very  youngest  of  them  to  love 
him,  and  he  knew  that  even  the  older 
ones  were  so  innocent  and  trustful  that 
it  would  be  much  easier  for  them  to 
give  their  hearts  to  him  than  for 
grown  persons  who  had  long  been  sin- 
ning against  him.  He  meant  to  maJce  it 
easier  for  them,  and  he  will  make  it 
easier  for  you  now  than  it  will  be  by  and 
by,  when  you  have  become  men  and 
women.  ^ 


^ ^ ^ 

/  LITTLE     MARY.  103     \ 

As  I  was  telling  you,  if  you  had  died 
before  you  were  old  enough  to  know 
anything  about  Jesus,  he  would  have 
given  you  a  new  and  loving  heart,  and 
taken  you  right  to  himself.  But  now 
you  are  old  enough  to  know  him,  and 
love  him,  and  choose  for  yourself  whether 
you  will  go  to  heaven  or  not.  And 
Jesus  means  to  let  you  choose  for  your- 
self, for  he  don't  want  to  force  anybody 
to  go  to  heaven  against  their  will.  He 
sees  that  you  are  a  sinner,  and  that  you 
would  n't  be  happy  in  such  a  holy  place 
as  heaven  is  unless  your  little  heart 
was  changed.  I  do  not  mean  that  you 
have  done  very  wicked  things  ;  but,  unless 
you  are  different  from  many  little  girls 
and  boys  whom  I  have  seen,  you  may 
have  been  vexed  with  your  kind  parents 

s^ 


9^^ ©^^ 

104r  LITTLE      MARY. 


and  playmates,  or  told  little  fibs,  or 
taken  little  things  which  did  not  belong 
to  you,  or  iised  naughty  words.  All 
these  are  sins,  and  it  is  a  great  sin  to 
know  the  blessed  Jesus,  and  not  love 
him  and  serve  him.  If  you  have  done 
this,  Jesus  is  very  much  grieved  with 
you. 

Perhaps  you  feel  that  you  are  a  sinner 
sometimes.  If  you  do,  you  must  not  be 
discouraged.  You  must  remember  that 
Jesus  came  into  this  world  on  purpose 
to  save  sinners,  and  that  he  wants  very 
much  to  save  you.  You  must  feel  that 
you  need  him,  and  believe  that  he  is 
able  and  willing  to  save  you.  You 
must  go  right  to  Jesus,  and  tell  him 
that  you  are  a  naughty  little  child,  and 
want  him   to   help   you   love   him    and 


v^ ^^ 

J  LITTLE      MARY.  lOo     \ 


I 


serve  him.  If  jou  are  really  in  earnest, 
lie  will  help  you  to  do  so,  and  then  you 
will  be  fit  for  heaven,  and  long  to  go  and 
be  with  Jesus  in  his  beautiful  and  happy 
home.  And  when  you  come  to  die,  the 
loving  Saviour  will  take  you  up  in  his 
arms,  and  put  his  hands  upon  you  and 
bless  you,  as  he  did  the  little  children 
whom  he  met  on  earth. 

Perhaps  you  may  not  understand  all 
that  I  have  written ;  but  my  precious 
sister,  of  whom  I  have  told  you,  did 
understand  it  all,  and  realize  it  all,  be- 
fore she  was  thirteen  years  old.  She 
died  when  she  was  just  as  old  as  Jesus 
was  when  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem  with 
his  parents,  and  asked  the  doctors  such 
hard  questions  in  the  temple.  I  have 
thought  that  it  might  help  some   little 


Q^^ e^S 


^^3 es^^ 

106  LITTLE      MAR  Y. 

boy  or  girl  to  love  this  wonderful  Jesus 
if  they  knew  how  dearly  little  Mary 
loved  him,  and  what  a  precious  Saviour 
he  was  to  her.  Dear  little  girl !  slie  is 
with  Jesus  in  heaven  now ;  and  I  have 
written  this  little  book,  which  tells  you 
all  about  her,  that  you  may  go  there 
too. 


THE      END. 


C>€^^ Q/^^^ 


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